Building block and construction



Jan. 4, 1938. N. DAVIDSON 2,104,152

BUILDING BLOCK AND CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 9, 1937 I N VENTOR. M076 0/ flay/090 fMWW A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 4, 1938 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,104,152 1 Y BUIIlDlNG BLOCK AND CONSTRUCTION Nathan Davidson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 9, 1937, Serial No. 124,825

2 Claims. (01. 72-40) My invention relates generally to building conpoint I find it advisable to make the block length structions involvingthe use of bricks or other equal that of the standard sized bricks with building elements of a generally similar charwhich it is to be used, this length being usually actor, and particularly to a form of building ele- 8%, inches, it being understood of course that 5 ment peculiarly adapted for beam and lintel conthe standard length for common brick varies 6 struction. somewhat in different localities due to climatic It is an object of my invention to provide a and other reasons, and further that in some disbuilding block construction which isexceptionally tricts bricks of special configuration and lengths resistant to earthquakes, and which therefore has sometimes up to as high as 12" are quite genera wider range of applications and uses than buildally used. Consequently, the length of my angle 10 ing block construction heretofore used. brick will in general vary in accordance with the Another object of my invention is to provide a type of bricks with which it is to be associated building element which has a ready utility in in a given brick structure, and when in the specinumerous types of construction and is particular fication and claims I use the term standard-sized ly valuable in the construction of beams and brick, it is to be understood as including all sizes 15 lintels. r a of bricks which now have, or may in thefuture In bond beams, especially, it is desirable to have, a general usage the building of brick have the reinforcing steel, nearer the outer faces maso y Structures- The width 01' the sides ll of the wall or beam than is possible with ordinary and I! make likew se v ry according to the S go bricks or blocks, and-to also havethe steel comof the bricks used in the particular structure, but pletely surrounded with mortar. As will be seen as a general rule I find it advisable to make one hereinafter, both of these requirements are fully side, say the Side II in Substantially the met by structure employingthe novel building same width as the outside face width of its aselement of this invention. sociated bricks, while the other side, as H), may

Another advantage of my invention resides in be the same width ,or somewhat smaller. Com- 5 the fact that I secure the aforementioned objects bricks e b P y e d ed in I without in any way sacrificing the natural beauty this country at X X While um ous of brick construction. special type bricks are also used which have These and other objects and advantages will W d s varying from 2% to4" on one or both latbecome apparent from the following description em] faces- Since Common bricks p a 30 of a preferred form f my inv nti and {r a bricks are often used together in the same strucinspection of the accompanying drawi i ture, I have found that an extremely efficient which: angle block is provided when it'is formed with one Fig. 1 shows one form of fbOnd beam construcside substantially the same width as the narrow tion; face of a common brick and one side substantially 36 Fig. 2 shows a modified'form of bond beam thesame width as the broad face of a common or longitudinal tie construction; brick. 'This permits the block to be used inter- Flg. 3 shows a form of lintel construction; changeably with common bricks no matter how Fig. 4 shows a modified form of lintel constructhey a e d, and also Permits t to e u d w th 40 tion; most varieties of special brick without modifica- 40 Fig. 5 illustrates one method of overlapping th tion of either. The sides II and if can be made reinforcing steelyand of any convenient thickness in proportion to the Fig. (if is perspective of my n v l f r of widths and length of the block, for most uses it' building element used inthe foregoing construcbeing found that a thickness of from to 1" is satisfactory, with the thickness at the heel of the 46 Referring now to the drawing and particularly joint or apex t e angle being mes thiekto Fig. 6 thereof, the numeral l0 indicates gener than at the outside, so as to give added strength erally an L shaped building element which I will at this point. for descriptive purposes term an angle block. As will'be apparent, the angle block In may 50 This block is formed of two sides II and i2, prefbe made from different materials, but I prefer erably at right angles to each other, although for to make it of brick clay and fire it in the usual particular uses this angle may be varied slightly manner employed in the manufacture of bricks. either above or below 90. The length of the Referring now to Fig. 1, wherein is illustrated angle block may of course be varied within reaone form of bond beam employing the building 66 sonable limits, although from a practical standelement illustrated in Fig. 6, the numerals I3 and I4 indicate generally two opposing spawd walls laid up in the usual fashion with building.

elements such as' bricks which are set in mortar in known manner. The numeraLli. indicates the bricks used' in forming the walls, and they" brick courses so as to get the full bonding and reinforcing effect of the steel on the entire structure and to allow beams of agreater depth to be used. Consequently, angle blocks 10 are substituted for the bricks at the four corners of, or edges of the beam and the steel is placed in the enlarged space formed by the angle. This substitution is however performed by steps, the course of angle blocks i0a being laid on the course of bricks indicated as lia, with a corresponding oil'set course lb of angle blocks laid in the same horizontal plane, the intermediate course corresponding to the rear or backing wall being formed of bricks. The horizontal steel rods I60 and l6b are then .placed in position after the requisite amount of mortar has been placed in the joints and one or more courses of bricks are then laid on each of the beam courses and thoroughly bonded with mortar to carry the beam up to its required height.

The upper outside courses of the beam are then laid using angle blocks lllc and lid, with a center course of bricks betweenthem. The steel rods I60 and lBd are then placed in position and the joints and spaces surrounding the rods are thoroughly filled with mortar. If itls desired to carry the walls l3 and I up beyond the bond beam, opposing courses of bricks are laid in 'the usual manner.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrateda bond beam or wall tie constructed in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1' except that thebeam portion of the wall is not enlarged or oflset. In this case the angle blocks I00 and lb are laid without an intermediate course of bricks between them, and the steel rods Isa and. lib are therefore closer together and separated only by mortar. If additional strength against shear is desired, lateral steel or wire ties II, preferably with bent ends, may be used to restrict the lateral movement of the reinforcing bars l8.

As before, one or more courses of brick are then laid up in mortar on the angle blocks Illa and 10b, and angle blocks I00 and Illd with their respective steel reinforcing rods are then laid as before. The wall can then be carried on up in known manner if desired.

The angle blocks of my invention are also peculiarly well adapted for lintel construction as will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4 which illustrate typical construction for different sized walls.

The construction of Fig. 3 is quite similar in form to the beam construction of Fig. 1 and for simplicity the elements will therefore be given the same descriptive numerals, it being understood of course that in forming lintels, a temporary support such as a plank or other flat surface is employed to support the brick construction until the mortar has set.

The numerals Ma and lb again indicate spaced courses of angle blocks, having a course of bricks II between them. Horizontal reinforcing rods lta and lib are bedded in mortar in the enlarged space of the angles as before and the required number of courses of bricks l5 are laid over the lintel courses. For maximum strengthjsteel cross ties II with bent ends are laid at intervals along the lintel course to further support and tie in the horizontal steel l6 which" runs longitudinally of the structure. The vertical and horizontal strength of the lintel may be further increased by placing vertical steel rods or stirrups It at intervals between opposed wall courses and thoroughly embedding them in mortar. The lower ends of the stirrups should preferably be bent and hooked around the cross ties I! to assist in distributing the load throughoutthe vertical extent of the lintel and wall structure although this is not essential.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a lintel construction which is similar in form to the beam of Fig. 2. It willbe seen that this form varies from that of Fig. 3 only in-the fact that no intermediate course of bricks is laid between the angle block courses Illa and llb.which' again form the lower face of the lintel. Lateral ties II are preferably employed'in this form also, as well as vertical stirrups ll.

Where beams or lintels of considerable length are constructed it is necessary to overlap the horizontal reinforcing 's'teel, since it comes in lengths less than the whole wall length. It will be apparent that adequate lapping should be had to insure full strength of the beam, and in Fig. 5 I have illustrated one very suitable method of lapping the steel so thatno strength is sacrificed at the Joint. One of the rods indicated by the numeral I811 is bent adiacent one end, so that the end is parallel to, but offset from the body of the rod. The other rod indicated by the numeral lip is then laid parallel to the offset end of rod "n and in close proximity thereto, preferably coaxial with the main portion of the rod "1:.

Wherever I have used the term mortar herein, it is to be understood as comprehending mortar in its broadest sense and not as limited to mortar of any particular ingredients or degree of plasticity or fluidity. It is also to be understood that the structures illustrated in the drawing are merely typical of preferred forms of construction embodying my invention and that I do not mean to be limitedto the precise forms shown, since my invention is susceptible of use in many and varied types of architecture and building construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. A building construction 'of the class described comprising a plurality of substantially vertical wall sections formed of courses of standard sized bricks, said bricks being joined together with mortar, one or more of said wall sections having a course of rectangular angular blocks provided with outside faces substantially corresponding in size with standard bricks and laid with their angular faces toward the midwidth of the wall,

the space thus defined lying between the vertical faces of at least one of said wall sections and being substantially filled with mortar, and a horizontally extending metallic reinforcing rod imbedded in said mortar in said space in vertical alignment with the courses of bricks of one wall section.

2. A wall construction of the class described comprising a plurality of parallel wall sections of standard sized'bricks with mortar bonding together said bricks. at least two of said sections V 9,104,152 Q v 3 having opposed courses of angle blocks provided with outside faces substantially corresponding in size with standard bricks and in association with the standard bricks, said angle blocks being laid in said opposed courses to provide a longitudinally extending space in each course which lies between the side faces of the section containing said course, a longitudinally extending reinforcing rod disposedin' the said space in -each of said sections, and mortar filling said spaces to surround said rods.

NATHAN DAVIDSON. 

